Production of effects in films, sheets, and similar materials



and similar materials, and the expression trans- Patented Sept. 20, 1938- raonuo'noN or armors suntan MATERIALS snnsrs, AND

Brian Edward Merriman assignor to Celanese 1N FILMS,

Miller, London, England,

Corporation of America, a

corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application November 10, 1937, Se-

rial No. 173,849. In Great 11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to effect materials, and particularly to artificial films, sheets and similar materials exhibiting mother-of-pearl or other effects.

This application is a continuation in part of my application S. No. 83,328 filed June 3rd, 1936.

It has been discovered that materials exhibiting excellent ornamental effects may be obtained by causing the pile side of a pile fabric to adhere to a'translucent or transparent artificial film or similar material and thereafter separating the pile fabric from the film.

The term "film" used in the present specification is to be understood'to include sheets foils parent films is to be understood to include translucent films. I l

The degree of adhesion effected in accordance with this invention may vary widely. It may be only a light-adhesion so that on stripping the pile fabric from the film separation is effected without leaving pile fibres adherent to the film so that the film merely carries the "pattem of the pile fabric impressed on it.. Alternatively, the adhesion may be relatively strong so that on stripping the pile fabric from the film, pile fibres remain firmly adhered to the film, and in this case a more pronounced effect is obtained which is particularly valuable. for many purposes. 7

The transparent film, which may be colorless or colored and may be embossed, may have a basis of regenerated cellulose or nitrocellulose or a non-cellulosic transparent substance, butma: terials having a basis of an organic derivative of e cellulose, e. g. cellulose 'pi'opionate, cellulose bu-' tyrate, cellulose .nitro-acetate, methyl cellulose, "ethyl cellulose,.benzyl cellulose, and particularly cellulose acetate, have been .found to be specially valuable. Such materials, especially if they have 40 a high content of substituent groups, e. g. in the case of cellulose acetate corresponding to an acetyl content of 56-58% or more, are'relatively moisture-resistant, which is of considerable value for certain purposes. However, films of other substances may be employed, e. g. films having a basis of a polymerized vinyl acetate, a polymerized acrylic ester or ether or other synthetic resin. I

The pile fabric employed may be 'made of any suitable material, e-. g. cellulose acetateor other cellulose derivative, regenerated -cellulose, cotton or natural silk. The pile and the base of .the fabric may both be of the same substance or they may be different, e. g. the pile maybe made of cellulose acetate yarn and the base of the fabric Britain September of cotton or linen yarn. eife'ct relatively strong adhesion between the-pile fabric and the film it is preferable that the pile of the fabric should be made of the same substance or a similar substance to the material of 'the film; Thus there may be adhered to a film having a basis of an organic derivative of cellulose a pile fabric which has a pile of an organic derivative of cellulose. Where, on the other hand, it is desired to effect only light adhesion, the pile of the fabric is preferably made of a different material from the material of the film, e. g. a cellulose derivative film may be caused to adhere to a pile fabric in which the pile is made of regenerated cellulose, cotton, natural silk or other non-thermoplastic material.

Various eil'ects maybe obtained by employing pile fabrics in which the pile is dyed in one or more colors or is of uneven lustre due, for example, to the presence of.cellulose acetate yarns and regeneratedcellulose' yarns, or of lustrous and delustred cellulose acetate yarns Or, again, a pile fabric may be employed in which the pile is ofuneven thickness, e. g. a locally carbonized pile fabric. Of particular value according to this invention are pile fabrics in which the pile lies in different directions in. different areas as, for example, crushed pile fabrics in which the pile yarns are laid in different directions in a more or less haphazard manner. Such fabrics may be produced, for" example, by pressing cellulose acetate pile fabrics with suitable rollers in the presence of steam. By the use of crushed pile fabrics beautiful ornamental effects resembling mother-of-pearl may be obtained.

It is not necessary, however, that the pile fabric should be a patterned fabric. Very good results can be obtained by the use of a plain pile fabric of uniform character, the pressing operation necessary to effect adhesion to the film itself causingjthe lay of the pile to be deformedin ahaphazard manner.

Adhesion between the pile fabric and the transparent film may be effected in any suitable manner. When the material of the film and/or the materlal of the pile of the pile fabric are thermoplastic, e. g. in the case of a cellulose acetate film and a pile fabric having a pile of cellulose acetateyarns, the necessary degree of adhesion may be effected by means of heat and pressure, for example, by placing the film on the pile surface of the fabric and pressing the film and the fabric together in a heated press or passing them between heated rollers. 0r, again, the film and/or the pile may be moistened with a suit- Where it is desired to able softening agent and the film and pile fabric then pressed together with or without the use of heat.

Suitable softening agents for'cellulose acetate materials are, for example, acetone, methylene ethylene ether, ethyl lactate, glycol monoacetate, methyl glycol monoacetate, mono-, diand triacetins, diacetone alcohol and dioxane. Preferably a mixture containing a volatile solvent and a relatively low boiling solvent is employed, e. g. a mixture of acetone and diacetone alcohol. The softening media may contain, if desired, a small proportion, e. g. 2-4%, of a cellulose derivative as, for example, cellulose acetate.

Instead of relying solely on the use of heat or an organic or inorganic softening agent to facilitate the adhesion, an adhesive substance may be employed.

After the adhesion has been eflected the fabric is stripped from the film and the film may be brushed or rubbed down to remove any loose pile fibres which are not firmly adhered to it.

The products obtained according to the invention are very suitable for use, for example, for lamp shades and for the decoration of drums and other musical instruments. Materials wherein the film has a basis of cellulose acetate or other relatively water-resisting substance are also very suitable for use where resistance to washing or to humid conditions is desirable, as, for example, for table tops and as wall decorations in bathrooms.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Process for the production of mother-ofpearl effects on transparent artificial films, which comprises causing the pile side of a crushed pile fabric to adhere to the film under pressure and thereafter stripping the pile fabric from the film.

2. Process for the production of mother-ofpearl effects on transparent artificial films, which comprises causing the pile side of a crushed pile fabric to adhere to the softened surface of a film under pressure and thereafter stripping the pile fabric from the film.

3. Process for the production of mother-ofpearl effects on transparent artificial films, which comprises causing the pile side of a crushed pile fabric to adhere to the film under pressure, and thereafter stripping the pile fabric from the film, the degree of adhesion effected being so light that on stripping the pile fabric from. the film substantially no pile fibres remain firmly adhered to the film.

4- Process for the production of mother-ofpearl efi'ects on transparent artificial films, which comprises causing to adhere to the film the pile side of a crushed pile fabric, and thereafter stripping the pile fabric from the film, the degree of adhesion effected being such that on stripping the pile fabric fromthe film pile fibm remain firmly adhered to the 5. Process for the production of mother-ofpearl effects on transparent artificial films having a basis of cellulose'derivatives, which comprises causingtoadheretothefilmthe pile side of a.crushed pile fabric, and thereafterstripping the pile fabric from the film, the degree of adhesion effected being such that on stripping the pile fabric from the film pile fibres remain firmly adhered to the film.

6. Process for the production of mother-of- D arl effects on transparent artificial films having a basis of cellulose derivatives, which comprises softening the surface of the film'by treatment with an organic softening agent, causing the pile side of a crushed pile fabric to adhere to the softened surface, and thereafter stripping the pile fabric from the film, the degree of adhesion effected being such that on stripping the pile fabric from the film' pile fibres remain firmly adhered to the film.

7 Process for the production of mother-ofpearl effects on transparent artificial films having a basis of cellulose derivatives, which comprises pressing the pile side of a crushed pile fabric on to the surface of the film under the action of heat so as to cause the pile fibres and the film to adhere together, and thereafter stripping the pile fabric from the film, the degree of adhesion efi'ected being such that on stripping the pile fabric from the film pile fibres remain firmly adhered to the film.

8. Process for the production of mother-ofpearl effects on cellulose acetate film, which comprises causing to adhere to the film the pile side of a crushed'pile fabric in which the pile has a basis of cellulose acetate, and thereafter stripping the'pile fabric from the film, the degree of adhesion efi'ected being such that on striprfing the pile fabric from the film pile fibres remain firmly adhered to the film.

9. Transparent artificial films having pile fibres lying in diiferent directions firmly adhered thereto, and presenting a mother-of-peari effect.

10. Cellulose derivative films having pile fibres lying in different directions firmly adhered thereto, and presenting a mother-of-pearl effect.

11. Cellulose acetate films having cellulose acetate pile fibres lying in difierent directions firmly adhered thereto, and presenting a motherof-pearl eflect.

BRIAN EDWARD MERRIMAN MILLER. 

